Take My Hand
by DreamingIce
Summary: The Tonks family has always stuck together through it all, from births to deaths, from betrayal to ecstasy. Snapshots of their lives during their tragedies and triumphs. Features: Ted, Andromeda, Nymphadora, some Sirius, and RLNT eventually.
1. Hidden Rebellion: Dec '70

**Take My Hand**

**A/N: Because there is a deplorable lack of fics which show Andy, Ted and Nymphadora interacting as a family, I have decide to embark on this project. The plan for this is that each vig in the series will alternate between Andy and Ted. This first one is when they are dating at Hogwarts. I have placed Andromeda's birth year in 1953, seven years older than Sirius (meaning that she would have finished school the term before he started) and Ted in the same year, too.**

**This one is from Andy's perspective.**

**Disclaimer: Characters and settings all property of JK Rowling. Plot is at least partly mine. I was JK, I wouldn't be torturing myself with theories on who's going to die... :twitches: I'd already know...**

Hidden Rebellion – Christmas 1970

If there was one thing I hated about dating him, it was the secrecy. But on the other hand, I knew the reasons for the secrecy lay with me, or rather, my family. I wasn't ready to face that viper pit yet. So we kept our budding relationship under wraps, concealing it from the prying eyes of the Hogwart's gossip mill. And that's no easy task, especially in Slytherin. Everyone seems to want to know exactly what you're up to all the time.

A few clinging kisses in a deserted classroom, an arm slung around my shoulders in the confusion of a quidditch match, surreptitiously holding hands under a desk in class, a secret meeting on a Hogsmeade day.

Of course, we didn't keep it a secret from _everyone,_ that would have been impossible. My close friend Emma - a Ravenclaw seventh year, mind you, not a Slytherin - knew what was going on, as did Thomas, Ted's mate. And Sirius, nosy little cousin that he is. That scared me out of my wits when Sirius found that letter, if it had been Cissy, or even worse, Bella... it doesn't bear thinking about.

But I can see Sirius is like me in the regard that we don't really fit with our family. He's promised not to tell. That normally doesn't inspire much confidence in people when it's coming from the mouth of a ten-year-old prankster, I know, but Sirius knew what was at stake here, and he knew that I trust him to keep his mouth firmly shut.

Both Ted and I knew that we couldn't keep this secret forever, and we didn't want to either. I thought if we kept it secret for too long it would ruin us. People would start to catch on to something eventually, and then it would get back to my family, who would do their nut and throw me out; I thought I'd probably end up resenting Ted for that. Or if we did manage to successfully keep it a secret, the stress of it – and lack of the physical touch we both craved – could have split us apart too.

We had to reveal ourselves in our own time, that much we agreed on.

We'd been together officially for about nine months when the Christmas holidays came around in our seventh year. Holidays were the time in which Ted and I used every opportunity we could get to spend together, and my family certainly raised their eyebrows when I asked to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas. As an unspoken tradition, no Black child stayed at school during the holidays, the only people who stayed behind – in their opinion – were those who had no decent place to go, or muggleborns. The Easter holidays last year I had been able to pass off as a fancy to study with ease, but it took a bit more persuasion this time. And Cissy was still looking at me in a slightly suspicious manner as she boarded the train back home.

But the feeling of running around Hogwarts with most of the school gone was just... exhilarating to me. It was an unrivalled sense of freedom, beyond anything I'd known before. Indeed, with the tense state of things in the wizarding world, there was only six students who were staying; Ted and I, of course; Emma, who declared herself our 'chaperone and lookout'; the Prewett twins, seventh year Gryffindors and a young Hufflepuff boy whom I didn't know the name of.

We didn't have to be so secretive now, the teachers all but disappeared during the holidays, and the ones who did see us wouldn't have said anything. Emma, Ted and I found out later, had cornered Gideon and Fabian Prewett after hearing them exchange theories on the two of us. Apparently she threatened them with the business end of her highly jinx-prone wand and made them swear not to tell anyone, or else. The duo agreed and then told Emma that she reminded them very forcefully of their sister, Molly, so they wouldn't dare to say anything before scampering off.

Emma wasn't sure if that was a compliment, or an insult. I told her to take it as a compliment, it meant she could keep those two pranksters under control; that and the Molly Prewett I remembered from my first year didn't strike me as the threatening type, but then again, she is a redhead.

Another benefit of not having any of my house-mates around was that nobody noticed that I moved all my stuff into Emma's dorm in Ravenclaw tower for the holidays. This in itself opened up a whole new array of possibilities for Ted and I, including snuggling up together in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw's cosy – and much more welcoming than the Slytherin's – common room, while Emma would tease us mercilessly.

I woke Christmas morning with a sore neck and unable to feel left hand, but having Ted's arm wrapped around my waist made up for it. Blinking, I managed to half-fall off the sofa we'd slept on, but not without dragging the blanket off of Ted completely. Without opening his eyes, a mumbling Ted reached out to pull the blanket back.

But his fingers met thin air. I clapped my hands over my mouth in a vain effort to keep from bursting out in laughter. Ted blinked at me slowly, looking at me through sleep-fazed hazel eyes, taking in my sprawling, dishevelled form on the floor with the blanket besides me.

"Oh, so you're the blanket thief," he yawned, "Can I have it back, I still want sleep..."

I raised my eyebrows. "It's Christmas morning," I reminded him incredulously, "Who sleeps in on Christmas morning?"

Ted bolted up. "Oh, yeah, forgot," he mumbled.

I stared at him suspiciously, he'd been acting a bit... twitchy lately. And I swear I could see a flicker of fear in her face for a moment. But the moment passed and I headed towards my small pile of presents. My family's presents, I supposed, were back in the Slytherin common room. Most of them I'd chuck away later anyway. But there was presents from Emma, Thomas, Sirius – sneaky thing – and _two_ from Ted.

I turned towards Ted, who had stopped unwrapping on of his presents to watch me, what seemed to be apprehension touching his handsome face.

"Ted," I asked slowly, "Why have I got two from you?"

"Open them and you'll see."

Looking at him curiously, I opened the larger one first. I ripped the paper off to reveal a beautiful dark-green, leather bound book, _Modern Healing Anecdotes_. I leapt up and hugged him enthusiastically.

"Thanks, Ted!" and I was relieved to hear him chuckle for the first time this morning.

"No problem, but you won't thank me if it ends up putting you off your Healer Studies..." he trailed off before clearing his throat. "Why don't you open the other one?"

The second one was much smaller, a box a bit smaller that my palm. Peeling off the wrapping, I was still lost as to it's contents. I looked at Ted who grinned.

"Go on, Andy, open it," he encouraged. I opened it.

A golden ring encrusted with a single diamond and two smaller sapphires either side of it lay nestled inside. My mouth gaped. No way, this couldn't mean what I thought, _hoped_, it meant...

Ted gently prised the box from my grasp and went to kneel down in front of me.

"Andy, I know you'd have to sacrifice so much, but I love you. I can't imagine myself in the future without you. I love you, Andromeda Black, and would feel like the luckiest man alive if you agree to be my wife."

It felt like ages that I stood their blinking at Ted. _This_ was why he'd been jumpy recently? Did he honestly think I'd say no? I managed to shake off my stupor and pull Ted up and snog him frantically in response. After a few breathless moments, Ted grinned at me.

"I'll take that as a yes than?" he asked, eyes twinkling in delight.

"Yes, you idiot! Did you really think I'd say no!"

Ted mumbled under his breath, and managed to hear the words "family", "sisters" and "disown you". I frowned.

"Ted, I don't care about that. In many ways, it'll be a relief to be away from them. And I love your family to bits," I assured him. Ted was about to reply when Emma's voice sounded down the staircase.

"Oi, is it safe for me to come down, or will I stumble across something I really _don't_ want to see?"

Ted and I looked at each other. "It might be fun to keep her up there for a while..." Ted murmured mischievously in my ear. I snickered, but took pity on Emma.

"It's safe, Em," I called out. Emma emerged into the common room and looked at us suspiciously.

"Somethings happened, what's going on?" she asked. Then she saw the ring - still in it's box – and gasped. "It that what I think... Are you two..."

For once, we actually rendered her speechless. Speechless Emma is a rarity beyond words. I nodded at her, no doubt ginning like a fool.

She screamed and hugged us wildly, "Oh, Merlin! Congratulations!" she exclaimed. Then she stepped back from us and mock glared at Ted. "Well, Tonks, are you going to put that ring on her finger, or does she have to do it herself?"

Grinning, Ted slowly slid the beautiful ring onto my finger. As soon as he'd done that, I kissed him once more. "No more hiding," I whispered into his ear. "The rest of the school – and that twisted entity known as my family – be dammed."

He looked at me worriedly. "What about the people in your house?"

I shook my head. "Not really a problem, I... already talked to Professor Dumbledore about moving out of the Slytherin dorms..." I admitted.

"Oh..." Ted blinked in surprise. "You could stay where you are then?"

I shrugged. "I guess," I replied.

Emma interrupted then. "Brilliant! Me and Carrie score a new roommate! And I can stop threatening people to keep their mouths shut..." she actually seemed regret the loss of that last one, which was how Ted and I found out that she'd threatened Gideon and Fabian.

Walking into the Great Hall, hand in hand with Ted that morning, I was on such a high that I doubt even Bella or Cissy, or our parents, could have punctured it. And of course, when the rest of the school came back, Being able to 'come clean', so to say, made me feel like I was flying.

My rebellion was no longer hidden. We didn't have to hide, which was what we wanted.

**AN: Like? Tell me, please. I personally don't like the ending, I knew what I wanted to do, but it didn't translate like I thought it would... **


	2. Promises: Aug '71

**AN: Take Two, Ted's perspective this time, on his and Andy's wedding day. Kudos to my two reviewers.**

Promises – August 1971

Part of me is still in shock that we're standing here already. It doesn't seem that long ago that I proposed to her – was it really eight months ago? I look at the beautiful woman standing in front me. The beading on her white gown – glittering like dewdrops in the sun – accenting her slim figure. Her crown of thick, dark hair cascading gently down to her shoulder blades. The delicate veil – which my mother had given her – obscured her aristocratic face and her blue-grey eyes, but I know that those sparkling orbs are focused on me as much as mine are on her.

I don't deserve this marvellous woman in front of me. It was nothing more that a stroke of pure luck that let us find each other. A very fortunate one, too.

But the celebrant interrupts my thoughts.

"... So, Do you, Edward Jeremy Tonks, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer, and in sickness and in health?"

Of course, would I be standing here if I was going to say 'no'?

"I do."

"And do you, Andromeda Violetta Black, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer, and in sickness and in health?"

Last chance to run, Andy. But I know you won't.

"I do."

And finally the words I've been waiting for: "You may now kiss the bride."

Not that I haven't done so before today, mind you... I give Andy a chaste kiss – don't want to shock poor grandma too much – and turn towards the crowd. I know I'm grinning like a fool, but don't give a damn. If I can't smile today, there would be something seriously wrong. Andy smiling so broadly I think it's going to shatter her face.

Looking into the crowd, I can see my parents in the front row with my brother – my sister cheering form her position beside Andy as one of the bridesmaids – and my extended family ranging behind them. Then there was the school friends; Gideon and Fabian Prewett, caterwauling somewhere from the back; Emma laughing happily next to Andy as the Matron of Honour; Florean Fortesque, trying to avoid the troublemaking Prewett twins; even a couple of our old teachers showed up, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick.

And just two people from Andy's family. That was her sacrifice for marrying me; the loss of her family. She says that she doesn't care, that she's glad to be free of them.

But we both know that's not strictly true. I know that there was a time – before any of them went to Hogwarts – that Bellatrix, Andy and Narcissa were as close as sisters can be. I personally can't understand what the Black family must be like, but judging on what Andy's told me (and what I've seen of Andy's sisters), it seems very... cold. A family which she doesn't fit into anymore.

For someone who declared that she didn't care, her face shone – a beacon of happiness – when her Uncle Alphard and little cousin Sirius appeared. Alphard, I'm told, was the one adult who encouraged views other than the pureblood mania of the rest of them. The one labelled as 'eccentric'—when they were feeling kind.

He's probably the main reason Andy didn't turn out like _them_. And now it seems like he's helping Sirius, the only other receptive mind in the family. Sirius, I have met before, cheeky little prankster, but a good kid from what Andy's told me. He's about to start his first year at Hogwarts himself, and I know Andy's hoping that he doesn't follow the family tradition of Slytherin. He's too good for Slytherin, she says.

So was she.

But as for the rest of the _Tojours Pur _clan, I think their fools at best, dangerous lunatics at worst. As soon as her family learned of out engagement—as soon as Narcissa Black wrote home after the Christmas holidays—they disowned her. And that wasn't the end of it. Bellatrix began to send threatening messages, and there was a total of three howlers sent in private: one from her parents, one from her Aunt Walburga, and one from her _dear_ older sister. Please note sarcasm.

All I could do was hold her, as she pretended that it didn't hurt her.

Fools, they're the ones that have lost out; They've lost one of the only decent members of their family, and she fits too well with my family to go back to that travesty of a family.

We now can have everything they don't: freedom, love, happiness, laughter and even more love.

I promise to love and care for Andy til the day I die. So, here's to the rest of my life, with Andy by my side, and I by hers.

**AN: Yes, I know this is much shorter. Call it the difference between Andy and Ted, Andy's the slightly more contemplative one; hence hers is longer. (Not sure if that will carry through all of them though… :D) For those who are interested, there will probably be about 30 chapters to this. At least, that's the plan for now...**

**Please review!**


	3. A Different Sort of Family: Mar '72

Take My Hand

**AN: This one is set about 8 months after Andy and Ted's Wedding, and they are celebrating Ted's 19th birthday with his family. Andy is reflecting on the difference between her biological family and her new family. **

**Thankyou to everyone who reviewed! Virtual Hugs all round!**

**Disclaimer: All I own is the month of Ted's birthday, and the names of his family.**

A Different Sort of Family – March 1972 (Andy)

I love Ted's family, they are everything that the family I grew up with was not: Love, laughter, teasing, and even more love.

Despite the fact that they've welcomed me into the fold with open arms and hearts, I still find myself withdrawing back into myself on occasions. They are so different to what I grew up with.

When I think back on my childhood, I remember both the good and the bad; the cold, dark hallways of the Manor; Bella's screaming laugh as she whizzed past Cissy and I on the grounds; the scowling house-elves; Cissy humming as she braided flowers into my hair the summer before I went to Hogwarts; the stiff, polite formality of my parents and family; Sirius' wicked pranks; the veiled barbs and hidden meanings in each phrase uttered.

It's such a contrast to what I am now a part of.

Ted's mother, Carolyn, could not more removed from my own mother if she tried. Druella Black was cold, distant and—above all—arrogant. Carolyn Tonks was caring, compassion and laughter—always sparking from those eyes that were so like Ted's. She 'took me under her wing', so to say, the moment she met me—the Summer holidays between Sixth and Seventh Year. And during the chaos that was wedding planning, I found out from Elspeth, Ted's older sister, that the ring Ted had given to me was Carolyn's mother's.

Elspeth is another gem, so different from my two sisters—the fire and ice duet. Sure, Elspeth has a temper, who hasn't? But we can talk together for ages without tiring; she supplies me with stories of Ted's exploits when he was little, and I tell her stories from Hogwarts, both with and without Ted.

Ted's father and younger brother, Andrew and Michael respectively, live off teasing everyone gently. Like now, teasing Ted about the number of candles on his birthday cake.

Ted's rolling his eyes at them now, and telling them to shove off, but he doesn't mean it. The love in this house is tangible, almost visible.

I force myself to smile at Ted as his eyes seek mine, worry lurking in their dark brown depths; he knows that I struggle with this sometimes. I just join in with the chorus of voices telling him to hurry up and blow the candles out—preferably before the wax forms puddles all over the cake.

He finally does so, and the smoke from the candles blurs the room momentarily; just as my 'emotional overload', as Ted and I sometimes call it, passes.

Free from the latest bout, I join in the celebrations with my in-laws.

I will become a true part of this family, _my_ family.

**AN: Please don't hurt me for the length:hides: When I started writing this chapter, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Andy had other ideas. So I ended up with a very short one this time... Please review though!**


	4. No Longer A Family of Two: Nov '72

**AN: Number four! Ted's perspective again, Andy hasn't been feeling well... News of a new addition to the family. ;-)**

No Longer A Family of Two – November 1972 

In about fifteen months of marriage, and over a year of dating before, I have prided myself on my ability to pick up on Andy's moods.

Recently though, that seems to have gone on holiday.

I want it to come back. Now.

One minute, she's just about ready to hex me, next she's crying. I have no idea where my calm, sensible Andy has gone, and no idea how to handle this new Andy.

I complained to dad about Andy's mood swings, and he just laughed—and laughed even harder at the look of confusion and outrage on my face.

"You'll find out why she's like that soon enough," he managed to choke out between spurts of chuckles.

What happened to a sympathetic ear?

Seriously, though, I'm worried about Andy. Not only has she been... unpredictable, but she hasn't been well: Dizzy spells, nausea, headaches. She _never_ gets sick.

I've been trying to convince her to get it checked, but that Black stubborn streak has been interfering. I mean, she's training to be a healer, for Merlin's sake, how hard can it be for her to get someone to give her a check-up?

Door's just snapped shut. Andy's mood could be anywhere...

"Ted? You here?" Andy's soft voice called. Doesn't sound like she's in a bad mood, good.

"In here, Andy."

Andy's head poked around the corner, dark rattails of hair dripping slightly. "Lucky you," she teased as she dumped her bag near the door and joined me on the couch, "you get to stay inside all day, while _I _had to walk fifteen minutes in the rain."

I ran my fingers through her hair distractedly. "Why didn't you apparate?" I asked frowning, we'd long since figured out that apparating outside our apartment while disillusioned was the best way to get home, as we had anti-apparating wards on the apartment itself. Or... "Couldn't you have flooed?" I asked again.

"Didn't feel up to floo," she mumbled quietly. "And Chrissy told me that I should cut back on apparating as much as possible."

_What? _

"Why?" I asked cautiously. The last thing I wanted now was to have her mad...

She twisted around to face me. "I finally swallowed my pride and saw her about... how I've been feeling recently," she admitted, a small grin curling her lips upwards. "We're going to be parents, Ted."

Time seems to freeze. Andy's... _pregnant?_

"You mean... you're..." I spluttered. Andy's grin widened.

"Yes, I'm pregnant," she leaned toward my ear, "you'll be a father in about seven months time."

What is a guy meant to say? I kissed her fiercely before wrapping my arms around her, letting my fingers brush over her midriff in wonder—a goofy smile plastered over my face, I'm sure. It was hard to believe that their was a child forming in there... _our_ child...

"I love you, Andy," I murmured to her as she laughed from me tickling her stomach. "No wonder dad was laughing at me..." I muttered under my breath. Andy quirked an eyebrow at me.

"I was talking to dad the other day about how you weren't... yourself... and he started laughing at me!" Andy giggled.

"Well, for a Ravenclaw, you can be a bit slow on the uptake..." she teased.

"And I'm meant to know anything about this?" I asked, perplexed.

She shrugged. "Not really."

The rest of the evening was spent in a similar way, and devising various ways of telling our family and friends about our new addition.

I'm both scared and elated. Scared, because the wizarding world seems to be working it's way into war, and Andy's family are far too heavily involved. Elated because, well... I'm going to be a dad! Andy and I'll be responsible for a helpless little child, for their protection. Wait, that qualifies as a reason to be scared... but in a completely different way to the other reason.

All I can do is hope that I am able to be a good a father as my own.

**AN: Heh, this one was quite fun to write, nervous men are fun to write... :snickers: Again, not as long as I hoped... thoughts? No, you have to send them by review! I'm not a Legimens! **


	5. Early Mothers Day: Late April '73

Take My Hand

**AN: Wow, part 5 already... This is one of my most... consistent fics I've got going at the moment. I'm usually quite terrible at update regularly... :hopes that readers of _Shattered Glass_, _A Father's Pain _and_ Walks in the Royal Forest_ don't stone her: But anyways, this one is where we introduce Nymphadora to the world. :D**

Early Mother's Day – Late April 1973 

Whoever said that pain was good thing... I'd like to see. I think I'd end up strangling them with my bare hands. Ted might survive the night with full use of his hands that way.

Both Carolyn and Elspeth warned me about the pain, _nothing—_not even some of Bella's more painful curses as children—could have prepared me for _this_...

On second thoughts, Ted doesn't deserve to have use of those hands. Or other body parts too for that matter. After all, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be in this position!

Merlin, isn't there _something_ that magic can do to numb this?

"Breathe," Chrissy keeps telling me. Ha. Sure. Easy for _her_ to say. She's not the one delivering a baby.

Another hour of pain beyond anything I've ever known, and suddenly I hear a sound that I know instinctively.

My baby.

"It's a girl!" Chrissy announces excitedly.

All the pain seems to fade for a moment as I hear that. Glancing over at Ted, I can see his eyes are moist along with the grin splitting his face into two.

With a wave of her wand, Chrissy cleans up my bed as one of the assistants hands me my baby girl.

"Congratulations, Andy, Ted," Chrissy says warmly as I took my daughter in my arms. The assistant looked a bit green after everything though, and Chrissy quickly herded her out, leaving Ted and I with our daughter.

He moved closer to me, eyes fixed firmly on the tiny bundle I held.

"She's so tiny," he murmured eventually.

I grinned. "I'm glad she wasn't any bigger," I retorted, stroking her little face. "She's so beautiful."

"She is," Ted agreed with softly.

"Thankfully she looks more like your side," I whispered. It was true, the downy hair on her head was a chestnut shade, similar to Ted's, and her eyes were his too. Only her mouth spoke of my family: the same mouth seen on Cissy and myself. I was thankful that she didn't have the classic Black features; the black hair, the grey eyes, the strong-boned nose.

"I don't know, if she looked like a mini you, she'd be beautiful beyond belief-"

I sniffed, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

Ted ignored me, continuing his statement. "Although, I don't think I could stand that... think of all the boys I'll have to chase away."

"You're a nut sometimes, Ted."

"That why you love me." I rolled my eyes at him, but smiled nonetheless. "What are we going to call her?" Ted asked, attempting to take our daughter into his own arms.

Reluctantly, I let him take her. "I thought we'd already decided: Nymphadora."

Ted looked at me strangely. His eyebrows rose as he realised I was serious. "I thought you were kidding," he said warily.

I glared at him, the full-bodied Black glare. "Edward Tonks, I have just been though _thirteen hours_ in labour with our daughter, the least I can do is get to pick her name!"

Ted closed his eyes, obviously trying to think it through. Stubborn man. He should know that this is one he won't win.

"Okay," he relented slowly, "but I'm not going to call her that mouthful all the time."

"I don't intend to much either," I admitted. "But it'll let her know when she's really in trouble..."

Ted snorted, "I thought that's what middle names were for."

"Well, that too... You can pick her middle name," I offered.

"That's something then. Next time, I get to pick the first name, ok?" he asked hopefully.

I choked. "'Next time?'" I spluttered. "Not any time soon! I'll need a few years to forget the pain!"

"Ok, ok!" Ted said hurriedly, "What about Astelle? For her middle name?"

I went over it in my head: Nymphadora Astelle Tonks. Sounded fine to me. In fact...

"I think it's perfect," I breathed.

"Good," Ted breathed into my ear. "Because I wasn't intending to change it; you're not the only stubborn one here."

"Mmmm, you're doomed now," I teased him. "No matter which one of us Nym takes after she'll be as stubborn as a mule."

"How terrible for me," Ted sighed dramatically before gently laying our daughter in her makeshift crib.

As Ted's arms thread around my torso, I know that this is truly home. Not St. Mungo's—no matter that with the hours I'll be working here in the future—but with Ted, and now Nymphadora. I just hope that I can be everything that my own mother wasn't. I hope that Nym feels that she can come to me with anything...

Right now though, I don't want this moment to end.

**AN: Thoughts? Feedback, including concrit will be loved beyond measure.**


	6. Metamorph: May '76

Take My Hand

**AN: So much for consistency. I can blame my exams, and the chaos of Christmas and New Years and my birthday, but I'm still lazy. Forgive me. This one has a mix of happiness and angst. (Up in the last week before I start my final year of high school... :shudder:) **

Metamorph - May 1975 

Magic, I've decided, can show it's self when you least expect it.

Things have been a bit... fragile recently. Andy, with that oh-so-stubborn streak , won't admit just how much of a toll everything has taken on her.

She's pretending that everything's fine, and I hate it. It's not fine. We just lost a baby for Merlin's sake!

Even Nym's picked up that something's off. She's very perceptive for a three-year-old. We hadn't told her about the baby yet... probably a good thing. She'd begun to ask for a sibling recently; it'd would have been cruel to build her hopes up only to have to take it back.

No, nature was cruel to Andy and I in that regard, but we'll try to insulate our daughter from what pain we can.

First thing I knew about it was Chrissy—Andy's mentor—flooing me at work telling me to get to St. Mungo's, pronto. Then finding Andy stuck in a bed in near hysterics. I've never seen her that bad before. Not when her sisters hexed her after finding out about us. Not when Nym broke her arm falling out of the tree in our garden last summer.

All I could do was hold her as she cried. And cry with her.

After a week or so, Andy seemed to return to normal. But she wasn't; just hiding behind that mask that she learnt oh-so-well from her family. Detaching herself so she can't feel the pain.

Nothing I tried to break through worked. Nym was the one who managed that. Unintentionally, but it worked.

"Mummy," she'd started off as we both tucked her into bed, "Why are you and Daddy so sad?" she asked innocently.

I could see the tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. "Because..." Andy's voice shook slightly.

I wrapped my arms around her, and she half-buried her face into my chest. "Because Mummy and I lost something... very important... and it hurts," I told her softly.

"Can you find it? I'll help you look."

I smiled sadly. "No, sweetie, we won't be able to find it again."

She looked at me, surprisingly seriously for a three-year-old, and nodded slowly. I blinked suddenly. My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. Nym's eyes are hazel...

"Nym, what did you do to you're eyes?" I asked, somewhat sternly. Andy's forehead creased as she scrutinised our daughter's eyes. They had somehow gone from hazel, to a pale violet colour.

"I don't know... I was just wishing that I had eyes the same colour as Mummy's favourite colour, maybe that would make her feel better..." she trailed off uncertainly. "Why?"

"Because," Andy's voice sounded a bit strangled, "they are that colour, sweetheart."

"How?"

"I don't know, sweetie," I told her. Andy however, has a thoughtful look on her face.

"Nym, can you changed them back? Just think of them how they normally are," she encouraged her.

A line appeared on Nym's little forehead as she concentrated, blinking a few times until the violet seemed to drain away.

"Am I in trouble?" Nym's bottom lip trembled slightly as she took in our shocked faces.

"No," both Andy and I reassured her quickly.

"Just go to sleep, sweetie," Andy told her. "We'll talk in the morning," She bent down to hug her. "I love you so much, Nymphadora," she breathed.

"I love you, too, Mummy."

"Don't I get a hug?" I affected a hurt look. Andy smiled.

"I don't know, should we let him join our hug, Nym?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed with that wide grin of hers. I hope she always has that grin.

So I joined in the hug, and at the same time thanked Merlin for my wife and daughter. Especially for Nym's innocence and honesty right now. She doesn't realise just how much she's help Andy to start to think about closing the emotional wounds of the last few weeks. For both of us.

**AN: ...And that is my theory on why Nym's an only child. A miscarriage can put people off. Especially when they already have at least one child. But what did you think? Please review. They are love. As always concrit is welcomed with open arms.**

**Also, I probably won't be updating regularly at all this year. It's crunch time at school. Year 12. But at least this time next year, I'll be _free! _(well, about to go to uni, but still, more freedom than school)**


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